PageOneLit.com:
Where did you grow up and was reading and writing a part of your life?
Who were your earliest influences and why?
Art Adkins: I was born in Punta Gorda,
Florida which is south near the Tampa/Charlotte area, but I grew up here
in the Gainesville area. North Central Florida was vastly different then
as compared to now. Not a lot of people were moving into the region.
Walt Disney had opened Disney World in Orlando and Orlando was in the
beginning pains of growth and expansion. A lot of people were still
moving to the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area. Gainesville was somewhat
overlooked at the time. I lived out in the country and our nearest
neighbors were over a mile away, so I grew up in a rural environment on
the farm.
Reading and writing was very much a part of my early upbringing,
especially reading. Reading was escapism for me, especially during the
summer months before I was old enough to drive. I could escape into a
novel and have it transport me to another part of the world and it was
this sense of discovery that kept me glued to books. When I was in the
tenth grade I had read everything in the library and the librarian used
to get me out of class to have me select the books I wanted to read.
Reading allowed me to develop my imagination as I tried to envision the
places I had read about. Being the only son on a farm means you have to
do a lot of solitary work, oftentimes for hours on end. It gave me ample
opportunity to reflect on the book I had read the night before and allow
my imagination to transport me to that environment. Looking back, it was
one of the best things that could have happened to me as I relived the
stories in the novels over and over as I worked on the farm.
It is hard to pinpoint who my favorite author was early in my life or my
favorite type of novel. I like such a wide variety of subjects. I
enjoyed Walter Farley's The Black Stallion and I equally enjoyed all the
stories on WWII, especially the Battle of Midway and our efforts as a
nation to utilize air craft carriers into a new arena across the globe.
I was extremely fascinated by submarine warfare in WWII and the dangers
these men faced. Submarine Commanders were on their own and only had
their wits and a capable crew to save them. I always enjoyed the hero
who had to overcome the odds and battle through to the end, using only
their wit, courage, and determination. I especially enjoyed stories
where the odds were overwhelming and they triumphed anyway. The early
Ian Fleming novels about James Bond turned me into a life-long James
Bond fan - I always dreamed of developing a character that was as easily
recognizable as James Bond. I still have a long way to go with Slade
Lockwood!
PageOneLit.com:
Why do you write?
Art Adkins: I write because I love to
tell a story and entertain people. But I also write because I have to. I
know that may sound odd, but when I am not writing I feel like a part of
me is not being fulfilled. The story inside is screaming to be put on
paper to share with others. When I wrote The Oasis Project, it was as if
Slade and company stood at my side and whispered in my ear as I put
their story on paper - I was nothing more than the scribe. I would write
even if I was never published. It is something I enjoy doing and, like I
said, the story wants out, to be recorded.
PageOneLit.com:
In your new novel "The Oasis Project" , your main character is Slade
Lockwood (20 year veteran of the LAPD) who has now retired to Cedar Key
Florida. What makes Slade different from other sleuths/detectives in the
detective mystery? What do you like about Slade?
Art Adkins: Slade is different in a lot of ways. Slade is not out trying
to hustle money or worry about obtaining a case to pay the rent. Slade
is trying to find himself, has become disgruntled with law enforcement
and is going through a process to re-discover the youthful ambition and
ideals that led him into law enforcement to begin with. It is this
journey that perplexes Slade, this self-discovery that he has run from
for so long, refusing to acknowledge, but now must confront. Discovering
who the murderer is in the story is a parallel course for Slade, but
equally important.
I like Slade because he is not afraid to venture into the unknown. At
times he moves forward, not because he understands the direction he is
taking, but he accepts that he must take it and the conclusion will be
enlightening. How many times in our own lives do we get thrown into
situations where we must battle through to the end and hope the solution
is worth the price we pay? That is Slade - he moves forward because he
has to and wants to, not afraid to confront those aspects of his
personality and environment that may be painful, but at the same time
beneficial. I think everyone can appreciate Slade.
PageOneLit.com:
"The Oasis Project" is an interesting story that actually has an
environmental theme. Was this done on purpose or by accident?
Art Adkins: Like I said, I grew up on
a farm and I live on a small farm now. I have a healthy respect for the
environment and I am not happy with how we are conducting ourselves with
respect to the environment. We are polluting our rivers and streams, we
are over building, and everyone is aware of the green house effect
impacting our weather patterns. I felt like the topic covered in The
Oasis Project could maybe make a statement and hopefully have someone
look at it as an alternative. So, yes, I did write about the environment
on purpose. I hope people who read the book will start to ask questions
about our environment and question the actions of our leaders with
respect to how we do certain things. We only have one Earth - we cannot
afford to lose what we have.
PageOneLit.com:
"The Oasis Project" deals with big corporations and their power -- Do
you think corporations run the country more so than our government?
Art Adkins: I sincerely believe
large corporations have more of an impact on our country than people
would like to realize. Look at the amount of money large corporations
spend on lobbying efforts from the local to federal level - the amount
is staggering. Do they have more of an impact than our government? I
don't really know the answer to that, but I do believe their impact is
substantial, especially the larger the corporation. One of the ideas for
an upcoming Slade Lockwood novel deals with this very issue. I don't
think any action by government officials fails to take large
corporations into account and I think this has to be evaluated on a case
by case circumstance. Also, look at the impact some of the large
corporations have had on our environment - it has not been good. That is
not say that all of them are not environmentally conscious because they
are, but we need to stand watch in this area.
PageOneLit.com:
You worked 12 years on the LAPD police force - Why did you move to
Florida? Any of the same reasons Slade did?
Art Adkins: LAPD has been the
highlight of my law enforcement career. I enjoyed everything about the
agency - they are progressive, at the forefront of change in law
enforcement, and they have a very strong can-do attitude. There is not a
day that goes by that I do not think about my times on LAPD, the people
I met, the dynamics of the City, and wonderful memories I have. Los
Angeles and LAPD will forever be pleasant memories to me.
I moved back to Florida to raise my two sons in a rural environment. The
Los Angeles area is a high density urban area and I wanted my sons to
experience the rural Florida I so fondly remembered. Gainesville has
been featured in several magazines in the last fifteen years as the
number one place to live. I guess I do have some parallels to Slade - I
wanted to continue to work on my writing, find myself in that field, and
evaluate my future. Slade's reasons for moving to Florida are more
self-centered.
PageOneLit.com:
Florida is a setting for many popular authors in the mystery/thriller
genre. In your opinion why is Florida so popular in fiction? What is it
about the state that is different from other states?
Art Adkins: Florida is the setting for a lot of mystery/thriller writers
- John D. MacDonald launched Travis McGhee in the Ft. Lauderdale area;
Lawrence Sanders talked about Ft. Lauderdale in a couple of his novels;
and more recently other novelists have set their stories in Florida.
Florida is a unique state. It has a lot of history and the coastline is
intriguing. We have miles of coast on the Gulf of Mexico and the
Atlantic Ocean, all beckoning to be discovered. Walt Disney fascinated
millions when he selected Florida to build Disney World. Throw in the
oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine, and Kennedy Space
Center, and you have a lot of dynamic places of interest. I believe it
is this idea of things being larger than life that attracts people. Plus
the sunshine, climate, and outdoor activities make it appealing.
PageOneLit.com: What
do you hope readers will say after reading "The Oasis Project" ?
Art Adkins: After people read The
Oasis Project I hope they will want to read a sequel! I also hope they
have enjoyed the story and it held their interest from beginning to end,
and they enjoyed and could identify with the characters. Lastly, I hope
they learn something. Even though The Oasis Project is a work of
fiction, there are issues dealt with in the novel that are impacting us
today. Hopefully our leaders of today will have the insight to solve
problems like Slade and company. It is also my hope that the readers
recognize me as a writer and desire to see more of my work.
PageOneLit.com:
"The Oasis Project" would make a great film/movie - Hollywood calls and
asks you to cast the characters. Who do you cast and why?
Art Adkins: I have actually thought
about this a lot. I could see a younger Kurt Russell playing Slade
Lockwood and I don't know that he is too old right now. Kurt Russell has
a certain charisma about him, but also a reflective side that I think
would portray Slade very well. Kurt is also a dynamite actor and I
believe he could make the audience feel the story and adventures that
befall Slade. Another actor of considerable talent who could portray
Slade Lockwood would be Hugh Jackman. He has considerable range as an
actor and a toughness that Slade needs. I think he would be an excellent
Slade.
And I don't want to forget a Florida resident in the Ocala area - John
Travolta. He is an actor who continues to impress me with his
considerable range of characters he portrays on the big screen. I think
he could make Slade come alive and could probably add some dimensions to
the character I have not even considered.
I could see Kate Beckinsale as Katherine Wintergate. Kate is a star of
striking beauty, especially in Van Helsing, and I believe that beauty
combined with the innocent look she has would make a fantastic character
as an artist. I have seen her in movies where her inner strength
surfaces and that is needed for this character. Her range of acting
ability would provide the nuances the character needs.
I think Jeff Goldblum would play a great June Stenger. Jeff has that
swagger and damn-it-all approach that would bring that character to
life. When I think of June Stenger, I think of Jeff Goldblum.
PageOneLit.com:
What's next?
Art Adkins: What's next is Power
Grid. I am about ten chapters into it as we speak and it involves
the same cast of characters. Slade is off on another adventure and we
learn more about Slade as he continues to develop. The supporting cast
are also explored in more detail. Power Grid examines a unique
issue that has confronted the human race for the last 5,000 years. It is
this discovery that intrigues me so much about this novel. I believe
people will enjoy it more than The Oasis Project.
PageOneLit.com:
What was the last book you read?
Art Adkins: The last book I read was
the Jansen Directive by Robert Ludlum, who was a wonderful story teller.
I loved reading his novels.
PageOneLit.com: Do you have any
hobbies? What are they? How do they enhance your writing?
Art Adkins: I have a lot of hobbies.
One I share with Slade Lockwood which is kayaking. North Central Florida
has been blessed with a lot of wonderful rivers and streams to be
explored. And, yes, like Slade, I kayak around Cedar Key which, in my
opinion, is a jewel on the West Coast of Florida. I enjoy the sense of
adventure while on kayak.
I still enjoy reading, but I don't have the time for a lot of novels.
Instead I read a lot of magazine articles and short stories. I love to
see how other writers approach their subject, develop the story and tie
it all together. I like stuff that holds my interest from beginning to
end and that is why it has been important to me in my novel to have
people tell me they could not wait to get home to finish The Oasis
Project or they could not put it down and they were up all night.
I enjoy physical fitness and I lift weights and run regularly. I believe
exercise keeps the mind sharp. I also enjoy almost any board game -
scrabble, chess, etc. I love the competition and the fun associated with
it.
All of these activities help me with my writing by expanding my
imagination and developing my thought process. No two people look at
things the same way and it is this different perspective that so
intrigues me. If we stop to develop as human beings we wither away and I
don't want that to ever happen to me. I hope I am writing stories until
I can't write any longer and I hope the people reading them will find
enjoyment and excitement in the pages.
Art
Adkins has been in law enforcement for the last twenty-eight
years and has
worked as a police officer on the Ft. Lauderdale Police
Department and as a sergeant on the LAPD. He is currently a
lieutenant with the Gainesville (FLA) Police Department. His
knowledge of police procedure is vast, and he has woven these
details into The Oasis Project.